Miniature spacecraft

ABSTRACT

A miniature spacecraft is constructed using modular features so as to provide a wide range of possible sizes with a choice of physical attributes. Radially directed bays are arranged around a central cylindrical element which may be used for storing a propulsion tank or canister. Octagonal or other configurations provide rigidity and strength through the use of triangular planetary cylinders which form outwardly facing bays for storage.

[0001] This application claims the filing date of a previously filedprovisional patent application having serial No. 60/106,340 and anassigned filing date of Oct. 30, 1998 as well as Disclosure Documentshaving Ser. Nos. 442,563, 448,685, 448,677 and 448,678 having filingdates of Jul. 23, 1998, Dec. 15, 1998, Dec. 15, 1998 and Dec. 15, 1998respectively, which applications and disclosures containing subjectmatter substantially the same as that described and claimed in thepresent application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates generally to aircraft and particularly tocraft designed for operation in a low gravity environment such as spacecraft, and more particularly to a miniature space craft of specificmodular construction adapted for structural expansion for a variety ofapplications.

[0004] 1. Description of Related Art

[0005] The following art defines the present state of this field:

[0006] Devlin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,447 describes a satellite apparatuswhereby a plurality of experiments may be monitored in a singlesatellite for a plurality of different organizations. The satellite hasmodular casings for placement on a frame and adapted to placeexperimental components therein with instrumentation facing a centrallylocated scanner which transmits data on the experiments to a receivingstation.

[0007] Perkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,582 describes multiplesubsidiary small payloads connected to standard mechanical andelectrical interfaces provided by an expendable or recoverable modularmother satellite bus (MMSB) and launched into space as an assemblyacting as a common carrier providing low unit launch costs for theattached subsidiary payloads and also providing a variety of electrical,pointing, and thermal control services for these payloads after reachingorbit. These services include but are not necessarily limited tocontrolled separation of free-flying satellites or re-entry vehicles,regulated electric power at a variety of voltages, telemetry, computercontrol, payload control via time delayed pre-programmed instructions,optional real-time payload control via direct radio communication ortransmission through geostationary or other communication satellitelinks, time-driven or event-driven control logic, mass data memory,encryption and decryption of data and commands, payload pointingaugmented heat rejection, and interconnection between subsidiaryattached payloads through the data bus.

[0008] Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,853 describes a space capsuleincluding heat source devices individually recoverable in which eachheat source device includes a combined pyramidal-type reentry body andheat reflector and a radioisotopic heat source disposed in a hollow orconcave portion of the body.

[0009] Cappa et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,767 describes a single pieceframe for a spacecraft, the frame manufactured as fiber composite sheetsoverlay a core. The core is preferably made of aluminum and formed witha honeycomb cross-section. The frame provides a mounting structure towhich payload, spacecraft equipment, and boost vehicle are attached. Theframe can be reinforced locally by varying the core density or the wallthickness so as to resist concentrated or localized loads. Theorientation of the fiber in the composite sheets may also be varied soas to so as to strengthen the frame in a desired location.

[0010] Esch et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,225 describes a satellitestructure comprising, a frame comprising a plurality of frame sections,side panels carried by the frame and supported in said frame sections, atop panel closing the upper end of the frame, a bottom panel closing thelower end of the frame and having a central opening, a metallic baseplate closing the opening, and satellite instrumentation supportingmeans mounted on the base plate and having its upper end secured to thetop panel.

[0011] Chatelain, U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,235 describes a reflector antennahaving a hollow, expansible polyhedral body consisting of a plurality ofinwardly extending recesses.

[0012] Kamm, U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,263 describes a satellite vehicleorientation device comprising a satellite vehicle, a rigid, elongatedtubular member having one end fastened to said satellite vehicle, a reelfor storing said tubular member and means for deploying said tubularmember.

[0013] The prior art teaches various spacecraft construction schemes.However, the prior art does not teach that a miniature spacecraft may beconstructed with a central cylindrical bay having radially orientedtriangular bays for forming open bay areas facing outwardly. The presentinvention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantagesas described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention teaches certain benefits in constructionand use which give rise to the objectives described below.

[0015] The present invention provides a miniature spacecraft constructedusing modular features so as to provide a wide range of possible sizeswith a choice of physical attributes. Radially directed bays arearranged around a central cylindrical element which may be used forstoring a propulsion tank or canister. Octagonal or other configurationsprovide rigidity and strength through the use of triangular planetarycylinders forming outwardly facing bays for storage.

[0016] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide aminiature spacecraft having advantages not taught by the prior art.

[0017] Another objective is to provide such a craft having octagonalsymmetry for strength and adaptability.

[0018] A further objective is to provide such a craft having radialconstructional features for strength.

[0019] A still further objective is to provide such a craft havingtriangular wall structures for rigidity.

[0020] A yet further objective is to provide such a craft having acentral cylindrical bay capable of storing a payload such as apropulsion canister.

[0021] Other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following more detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0022] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. Insuch drawings:

[0023]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodimentof the present invention; and

[0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof showing the invention asassembled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention, aminiature spacecraft apparatus 10 comprising a rigid structural andsymmetrical body portion 20 including plural walls 30 arranged to forman open central cylindrical wall enclosure 40. The preferable materialsused in the present invention are high strength composite sheet stock.Appended to, and extending radially outwardly from the centralcylindrical wall enclosure 40 are a plurality of spaced apart planetarycylindrical wall enclosures 50 best seen in FIG. 1. The planetarycylindrical wall enclosures 50 are arranged for defining generallyrectangular volumes 55 therebetween, the rectangular volumes 55 beingpositioned for access from at least four opposing sides of the apparatus10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A top 60 and a bottom 70 plates areengaged with the body portion 20 and the planetary wall enclosures 50 inpositions for enclosing the central cylindrical wall enclosure 40 andthe planetary cylindrical wall enclosures 50. The plates 60, 70 providepartial enclosure also to the rectangular volumes 55 such that thesevolumes are accessible only from the apparatus' periphery as can best beseen in FIG. 2. Bonding agents are used to fasten the various elementsof the invention to one another in a permanently attached fashion. Acylindrical storage pod 80 is positioned within the central cylindricalwall enclosure 40, the storage pod 80 providing a means for lateralstructural reinforcement 82; the three flanges shown in FIG. 1, suchthat forces applied to the storage pod 80 are transferred through thelateral reinforcement means 82 to the cylindrical wall enclosure 40. Aclosed cylindrical storage vessel 90 is enclosed within the storage pod90 by the top and bottom plates 60, 70 the storage vessel 90 providing afluid valving means 95 extending outwardly from a pass-through means 100in at least one of the plates 60, 70 as shown. The fluid valving means95 shown is only one possible propulsion device useful in conjunctionwith the present space craft and is intended to show how such a meansmay be enabled. The capping device 110 illustrates a means forstructurally supporting the valving means 95.

[0026] The planetary cylindrical wall enclosures 50 each inventivelycomprise a triangular arrangement of structural wall sections 52providing a highly rigid structure. The storage pod 80 comprises acircular wall element 81 integral with the plurality of lateralreinforcement means 82 which extend radially outwardly therefrom. Thetop and bottom plates 60, 70 and the planetary cylindrical wallenclosures 50 are of such conformation as to establish the apparatuspreferably with eight sides of equal length and arranged symmetricallyabout a longitudinal axis 56 of the apparatus 10. The top and bottomplates 60, 70 and the planetary cylindrical wall enclosures 50 mayalternately be of such conformation as to establish the apparatus 10with a circular exterior shape or a polygon configuration other than anoctagon. Clearly, the apparatus may be constructed in alternateperspective, i.e., with a smaller or larger relative height dimension.Also, the instant basic construction lends itself to a modularadaptation, so that, for instance, two of body portion 20 may be used toerect a space craft of twice the height shown in FIG. 2. Such a craftwould utilize two of storage pod 80 as well and a storage vessel 90 withapproximately twice the length as the vessel shown in FIG. 1.

[0027] Because of its basic and modular construction, the spacecraft ofthe present invention may be used for a very wide range of applications.The volumes 55 (storage bays) may be used for equipment or generalstorage and the other interior spaces may be utilized for necessaryequipment and systems for enabling useful spacecraft functions. In suchutilization a method is herein defined for equipping the spacecraft withoperational components, said method including: providing the instantspacecraft with its centrally located equipment bay surrounded by theplurality of radially oriented equipment bays, through placement,interconnection or other accommodation, both mechanical and electrical,and by any of the well known prior art interconnection means andtechniques: a modular electrical power package, a modular propulsionpackage, a modular communications package, a modular sensory andmonitoring package, a modular deployable vehicle package and a modularattitude control package, each of the foregoing in at least one of theequipment bays. It should be noted that these items are listed here forreference purposes only and do not constitute an exhaustive orcomprehensive list of such items. The items are also, of any of the wellknown types so that further details of construction, function orinterconnectivity ae not herein provided. The method further providesfor fastening the top and bottom plates to the body portion by aplurality of removable fasteners so as to enable replacement of theplates with alternative spacecraft equipments such as space sails, solarpanels, antennas and other related exterior spacecraft systems.

[0028] While the invention has been described with reference to at leastone preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by thoseskilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather,the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction withthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A miniature spacecraft apparatus comprising: arigid structural and symmetrical body portion including plural wallsarranged to form an open central cylindrical wall enclosure, andappended to the central cylindrical wall enclosure, and extendingradially outwardly therefrom a plurality of spaced apart planetarycylindrical wall enclosures; the planetary cylindrical wall enclosuresarranged for defining generally rectangular volumes therebetween, therectangular volumes being positioned for access from at least fouropposing sides of the apparatus; a top and a bottom plates engaged withthe body portion and the planetary wall enclosures in positions forenclosing the central cylindrical wall enclosure and the planetarycylindrical wall enclosures, the plates providing partial enclosure alsoto the rectangular volumes; a cylindrical storage pod positioned withinthe central cylindrical wall enclosure, the storage pod providing ameans for lateral structural reinforcement such that forces applied tothe storage pod are transferred through the lateral reinforcement meansto the cylindrical wall enclosure; a closed cylindrical storage vesselenclosed within the storage pod by the top and bottom plates, thestorage vessel providing fluid valving means extending outwardly from apass-through means in at least one of the plates.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the planetary cylindrical wall enclosures each comprisea triangular arrangement of structural wall sections.
 3. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein the storage pod comprises a circular wall elementintegral with a plurality of rectangular flange wall elements extendingradially outwardly therefrom.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thetop and bottom plates and the planetary cylindrical wall enclosures areof such conformation as to establish the apparatus with eight sides ofequal length and arranged symmetrically about a longitudinal axis of theapparatus.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the top and bottom platesand the planetary cylindrical wall enclosures are of such conformationas to establish the apparatus with a circular exterior surface.
 6. Aminiature spacecraft apparatus comprising: a plurality of: a rigidstructural and symmetrical body portion including plural walls arrangedto form an open central cylindrical wall enclosure, and appended to thecentral cylindrical wall enclosure, and extending radially outwardlytherefrom a plurality of spaced apart planetary cylindrical wallenclosures; the planetary cylindrical wall enclosures arranged fordefining generally rectangular volumes therebetween, the rectangularvolumes being positioned for access from at least four opposing sides ofthe apparatus; and arranged in sequential abutting organization to forma multi-level structure; a top and a bottom plates engaged with terminalones of the body portion and the planetary wall enclosures in positionsfor enclosing the central cylindrical wall enclosures and the planetarycylindrical wall enclosures, the plates providing partial enclosure alsoto the rectangular volumes; a plurality of cylindrical storage podspositioned within the central cylindrical wall enclosures, each of thestorage pods providing a means for lateral structural reinforcement suchthat forces applied to the storage pods are transferred through thelateral reinforcement means to the cylindrical wall enclosures; a closedcylindrical storage vessel enclosed within the storage pods by the topand bottom plates, the storage vessel providing fluid valving meansextending outwardly from a pass-through means in at least one of theplates.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the planetary cylindricalwall enclosures each comprise a triangular arrangement of structuralwall sections.
 8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the storage podscomprise a circular wall element integral with a plurality ofrectangular flange wall elements extending radially outwardly therefrom.9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the top and bottom plates and theplanetary cylindrical wall enclosures are of such conformation as toestablish the apparatus with eight sides of equal length and arrangedsymmetrically about a longitudinal axis of the apparatus.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 5 wherein the top and bottom plates and the planetarycylindrical wall enclosures are of such conformation as to establish theapparatus with a circular exterior appearance.
 11. A method of equippinga spacecraft with operational components, the method comprising thesteps of: a) providing a spacecraft having a centrally located equipmentbay surrounded by a plurality of radially oriented equipment bays; b)accommodating a modular avionics package in at least one of theequipment bays; c) accommodating a modular electrical power package inat least one of the equipment bays; d) accommodating a modularpropulsion package in at least one of the equipment bays; e)accommodating a modular communications package in at least one of theequipment bays; f) accommodating a modular sensory and monitoringpackage in at least one of the equipment bays; g) accommodating amodular deployable vehicle package in at least one of the equipmentbays; h) accommodating a modular attitude control package in at leastone of the equipment bays; and i) fastening the top and bottom plates tothe body portion by a plurality of removable fasteners so as to enablereplacement of the plates with alternative spacecraft equipment.